By Skika Reporter.

National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Idah Nabayiga has been declared the winner of the Kalangala District Woman Member of Parliament by-election, securing a decisive victory over five other contestants.

The results were announced in the early hours of Thursday by Kalangala District Returning Officer Ronald Agaba after the conclusion of vote tallying from across the island district.

According to the official declaration, Nabayiga garnered 12,642 votes, defeating her closest rival, National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Irene Nampala, who polled 7,474 votes.

Independent candidate Sharifah Babirye finished third with 244 votes, while fellow Independent candidate Flavia Hellen Nagawa received 217 votes. Agnes Nasuuna, also running as an Independent, secured 34 votes.

“Having added up the number of votes cast as recorded on each Declaration of Results Form in accordance with Section 72 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, I declare that the total number of valid votes cast for candidates are as follows,” Mr Agaba announced before officially declaring Nabayiga the winner at 1:53 a.m.

“Accordingly, as Returning Officer for Kalangala Electoral District and in accordance with Section 72 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, Cap. 177, I declare Idah Nabayiga, who has obtained the largest number of votes, to be the elected candidate for District Woman Representative to Parliament for Kalangala Electoral District,” he added.

A total of 20,611 valid votes were cast in the election. The district also recorded 427 rejected ballot papers and 67 spoilt ballots, bringing the total number of ballots counted to 21,038.

Nabayiga’s victory returns the Kalangala Woman MP seat to the ruling NRM and strengthens the party’s presence in the island district. She won by a margin of more than 5,000 votes over her nearest challenger.

The by-election attracted significant national attention and was marked by heightened political activity and voter mobilisation from competing parties. It was held to fill a vacancy created by the death of former Woman MP Helen Nakimuli.

The contest featured candidates from major political parties as well as independents, with voters turning out across the district’s scattered islands to elect a new representative.

Following her victory, Nabayiga is expected to assume office and complete the remainder of the parliamentary term, representing the interests of Kalangala residents in Parliament.